"I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken"

I expect most of us know the saying: “if at first you don’t suceed, try again”.

Admirable in its way; not so clever if a six year-old girl, attempting to climb her bunk-bed with a scarf (as “rope”), falls, breaks her teeth, but instead of being put off by the experience, tries again in exactly the same way.

However, unhelpful as it was to my six year-old self, I believe it’s now starting to pay off. Not because I’ve now learned how to climb bunk-beds (it turns out that the ladder is the most sensible way after all), although that’s also true, but because for the last month, maybe two, I’ve been jobhunting with more effort than I’ve ever put in before.

Of course, it needs more effort than I’ve ever put in before, because, unlike previous experiences, I’m not flexible – I can’t do full time, I can’t do a single full weekday, I can’t even do most afternoons, because of my lecture timetable.

A couple of weeks ago, I was coming close to despairing of the whole thing, which is the inevitable result of paraphrasing your CV more times than you can wave a stick at, with no results save a blinding headache.

But now, things are looking up. Or at least, more up than they were. I’ve got some temp work tomorrow, and it’s the kind of temp work that can be fairly regular, if you’re lucky. I can at least hope to be working once a fortnight, assuming I don’t do anything wrong tomorrow. I’ve had an interview for a different kind of temp work, which will, if I get it, guarantee me one long day’s work (11 hours, with possibly 4 hours travel time) with the possibility of a few more days over the summer. And seriously, a full day’s work is nothing to sniff at. Not even at minimum wage. It’s more than two week’s worth of food paid for.

Obviously, I need more than I’ve got. Temping, I need to be working at least one shift per week to break even just with food bills. But this is a start. It’s a start that brings me closer to the point of having money than I’ve been in some time. I am feeling hopeful – and long may it continue!

ETA: Haha! I’ve just got another 3.5 hours’ work over the Easter holidays!

A conversation I had with a nice call-centre person from my bank, edited for brevity:

Me: I’d like to extend my overdraft, please.

CCP: Okay, Miss [lastname], and how much would you like to increase it by?

Me: Frankly, as much as you can give me.

CCP: So… £10,000?! [clearly messing around, as I’m never allowed to have more than £3,000.]

Me: *laughs* If you can persuade them…

CCP: Well, I’ll just go and check that with our other department

…..

CCP: I’m sorry, but they’ve declined your request. They also say that they’ve seen no sign of any student loan coming into your account*, and that you won’t be able to apply again for another six months.

Me: [deadpan] Damn. Back to begging on the street for me, then.

CCP: [also deadpan] Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Miss [lastname].

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Whoever that person was, they did very well at amusing me, whilst telling me that no, I couldn’t have any money. Well done to my bank for hiring staff with a sense of humour. Although, not so well done for hiring staff who don’t know the difference between “Miss” and “Ms”. The bank have no excuse, because I registered with them as “Ms”.

*The bank wouldn’t have seen any sign of the loan, because the student loans company refuse to acknowledge that my student account exists.